


Two Steps Forward

by chileancarmenere



Series: Wishing In The Dark [7]
Category: Dragon Age
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-01-07
Updated: 2012-01-07
Packaged: 2017-10-29 03:41:00
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 672
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/315417
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chileancarmenere/pseuds/chileancarmenere
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Isabela wonders about the choice she will have to make when they free Fenris; Zevran initiates his plan.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Two Steps Forward

**Author's Note:**

> Lyrics at the beginning are from Give You Up by Ron Pope.

_‘Cause by myself I’m broken_

 _And you’re the only thing I’ve ever loved_

 _That really loved me back_

 

Isabela whetted her daggers till they cut a strand of hair she draped across them. It was a dull, repetitive task, but it was comforting somehow. The repetition kept the fear at bay. She was afraid for herself; Danarius was a powerful magister, and she had always hated fighting mages in Kirkwall. She was afraid for Zevran, and especially Merrill; she felt a responsibility to keep Kitten safe, since she had brought her out here. Most of all, however, she was afraid for him.

If they rescued him - when they rescued him - and if they could - when they did - restore his memories, she would have to talk to him. He might remember things that she didn’t want him to. She would have to make a choice.

 _I don’t stay over._

 _At first, it seemed as though he hadn’t heard her. He examined the label on the wine bottle instead. A decent vintage. The silence stretched for minutes. At last he lowered the wine bottle and looked at her. I thought you might, this time._

 _What’s so different from last time?_

 _In a detached way, she noticed how the tips of his ears blushed. She’d always thought that was cute. I…I don’t know what I meant._

 _You were thinking of bringing feelings into this. She didn’t phrase it as a question._

 _I do not want to make you uncomfortable._

 _You don’t. She picked up her sash and tied it around her waist, briskly. There’s a bottle at the Hanged Man that’s calling my name._

 _She was halfway to the door when she heard it. Don’t go._

 _Her nails scraped her palm. Fenris…She looked over her shoulder. He wouldn’t meet her eyes. This isn’t how it is between us._

 _As she left the mansion, she heard the tinkle of broken glass._

 _Three days later, they went to meet Varania at the Hanged Man._

“My dear?”

Zevran’s voice shook her out of her memories. She looked up. “Time to go?”

“Time to go,” the assassin confirmed. He stepped aside to let Merrill in. “Are you all right?” she asked.

“Why wouldn’t I be?” Isabela said brightly. “We’re going to go kick this magister’s ass from here to Antiva. Let’s go.”

Zevran straightened one of the many, many daggers he had strapped about his person. “Excellent idea. I saw another poster today. He will be fooled, I assure you.”

They left the inn as the sun was setting, painting the jumbled rooftops gold and orange. A few blocks from Danarius’ estate, Zevran turned to them. “Hold out your hands.” He produced two lengths of rope from about his person, tying them deftly around their hands. With a third length, he bound the pirate and elf together, and led them to the estate. Two guards at the gate stopped them, but with a few honeyed words, Zevran managed to persuade them to bring him to the magister.

Isabela’s quick eyes took in the angles of the large presence room they were led through. The floor was marble, with pillars lining the length of the room. There were several potted plants that they could hide behind in a pinch. Isabela also noted with pleasure that the walls were punctuated with large, open windows that would provide a quick exit if needed.

The clack of a staff against the marble floor chilled her blood. Danarius walked slowly, impressively, from a side room. Behind him, a faithful shadow, was Fenris. She took a deep breath and looked him in the eye, hoping for a flicker of recognition. Instead, he glared back at her, cold and angry. He reached back and loosened his great sword in its sheath.

Zevran sketched a fancy Antivan bow to the magister. “Ah, I must have the pleasure of addressing Magister Danarius. I am delighted to bring you this pirate and this elf that you had such a marvelous bounty out on. Might I collect it?”


End file.
